Day 251 – The Widow's Offering

Today’s reading: Luke 21

Today we read Luke’s account of the widow’s offering.  This fits right in with the two examples in Luke 18 and Luke 19, where Jesus said to give half v. giving everything.  When looking at those two examples we answered the question, “So how much of your money do you have to give away?”  With the answer, “As much as necessary so that you are no longer attached to money.”  Here is the verse:

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” Luke 21:1-4

Remember, in Jewish society a widow was in a highly precarious position.  She had few legal rights and generally not able to earn a living.  She generally had to rely on her relatives or the kindness of strangers.  It appears that this widow didn’t even have that, as Jesus says this was “all she had to live on.”  What great trust this woman had in the generosity of the Lord.  It's clear that she was not attached to money and trusted in God to provide for her.  This is the point Jesus was making.  It’s not the dollar amount you donate, it’s about in what your heart trusts, money or the Lord.

Tomorrow: Luke 22:1-23